Tout Va Tres Bien, Mada-meu la Marqui-seu

It's a typical Tuesday night, I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like...

Wait, what?

It's Monday!

The start of another week. But a week can't start until I tell you about my weekend:

Friday night: really nothing, except that I got an email from my doctor saying that my knee x-ray came out normal. So all's well, I'll just keep letting it heal slowly but surely, and will try physical therapy. Rather good news to start the weekend, don't ya think?

Saturday - errands, walk on the beach (5 day storm made a new 5ft cliff down there), went to friend's house for dinner (Malaysian curried noodles - oh so so good), poker and Apples to Apples.

Sunday - Beach volleyball (I actually played this time! I stayed by the net as the setter, didn't move more than a step... and I have to say, my knee does not feel any worse at all). I then went out to dinner to have Pho, and saw "The Book of Eli" with a couple of friends. Very good movie! I don't want to spoil it... but in a way, at the end you feel like "The Sixth Sense" where you go "Oh, that makes sense and I want to go watch the movie again to confirm it!"

Anyhoo, I've said too much. Really good movie though.

Yesterday and the night before, while watching some TV, I started doing bicep curls, triceps exercises, and shoulder exercises with these 5 LB weights I have. I love doing it in front of the TV! It's brainless! Except for one thing. After only 2 days of working those arms, at work today, in the middle of my meeting, I put my elbow down on the table and rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriip! Shirt rips by the elbow. They all thought I was going to turn into the Incredible Hulk. My complexion has been rather green lately... :)

So this weekend I should be going to Vegas, baby! That's right! Vegas with the Volleyball peeps. They want to party and dance, and I'll just go to the all-you-can eat restaurants! Lol. Who knows. I'll keep you posted and post some pictures!

Today I'm grateful that I had a great day at work, left at a decent time, and have been on Windows Live talking to my sweetie for 3 hours. Saves my cell phone minutes :)

Good night everybody!

Une annee en revue

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas! What a joy to be amongst family and friends. As I landed in Salt Lake on the night of the 23rd, I shed a small tear of joy, as this is indeed, home, no matter how much freakin' annoying snow there is on the ground.

Christmas Eve was spent at home with M&B, JR, Fanou and Babe. Mom made delicious Beef Wellington (I helped with the egg wash), with gratin dauphinois (think scallopped potatoes, but even more delicious) and french Green Beans, with tiramisu cake for dessert. It was... so yummy!

Christmas Day was spent with family, I woke up and yelled "it's Christmas, it's Christmas!" like a little kid, because I still am at heart. I went over to Babe's in the afternoon, exchanged some presents, talked to his sister who's currently serving a mission in Korea, then went to my brother's new house for Christmas - what a cute house he's turned it into! I'm so proud and happy for him. My mom's side of the family was there all night, then I went to Babe's grandparents house.

This weekend was a lot of "recovery", and I watched Julie & Julia with mom... which was a pretty good show, although Julia's life was more interesting than Julie's, really... but I've got a sudden desire to make boeuf bourguignon. Or cook more in general.

Now....

New

Year

Resolutions!


First of all, I wanted to recall what my New Year's resolutions were last year, and how I've fulfilled them, as you can see here. Let's see how much I've accomplished:

2009 New Year's resolutions. Here goes.

1. Gained 8 lbs in December (gasp!) Would like to lose those again, and some more. (wow, did you know that the first one would be weight-related? Of course you did, I'm a chick) - ok, so did I lose weight this year? No. I'm very unproud to say that I've gained about 11 pounds since I moved to california. As a 5'2'' person, that can be quite a lot. What the flagnard happened???

2. Go back to the wheat-free dairy free diet - may be why #1 failed - although I've mostly been good, there are times when I'd go out and splurged.

3. Get in shape (walk to the beach, use the gym @ work, do sit-ups on the yoga ball, get a kickboxing and/or pilates DVD) - Actually technically achieved this. I did go on walks to the beach, sit-ups, gone kickboxing and got an exercise DVD. I beleive the issue is I did not issue a timeframe or frequency to this resolution.

4. Smile all day long - well, I love optimism, so I do smile as often as possible, and at least once a day, so I'm smiling right now as I've accomplished this.

5. Go to bed at 10PM on weekdays (ha!) - This has been surprisingly easy. I'm in bed by 10PM on weekdays 90% of the time. 97% of the time I'm in bed by 10:30. The other 3% I'm out in Hollywood to movie screenings, which haven't happened more than 10-15 times all year.

6. Be responsible financially (I's got bills now!) - well, look at me, I have a budget file and am keeping it up. I did just slightly spend more than I made this year, but about $4000 of it was furniture related or stuff for my apartment. I think I did pretty good.

7. Try to join a casual volleyball team in the spring - Yes!!! March 1st, 2009 was the day I met what would soon to be my official awesome Cali friends, and I get to play beach volleyball. Win. In this resolution, more good came from it: other people to hang out with when Babe's not here.

8. Limit consumption of chocolate (sigh) - Um, yeah. Again, "limit" doesn't specify a number, so I could say that I limited myself to 10 pounds a day, but that just won't fly.

9. Stop eating brownies and cookies at work! (maybe that explains the need for resolution # 1...) - worked at some point, maybe from January to late spring, but then it started again.

10. Keep loving your family & friends - Absolutely! Don't believe I've failed at that because I love everyone very dearly that is close to me.

11. Get a new PC so that I can play Counter-Strike Source in my spare time... and also because I'm sick of this POS - oh yeah. Still have the POS, but don't use it because Babe built me an awesome computer!!!

12. Make L.A. County my new home for this year and take advantage of this beautiful area - I think I've succeeded at that. I've made my apartment my new home, but most importantly I've got friends who really wanted to show me the area. Thanks to them I've discovered: Hollywood, Pasadena, West LA/Brentwood area, West Hollywood, Griffith Observatory at Night & The Grove. I took advantate of movie screenings, and have discovered: Japanese noodle places, cheap and great Italian, authentic French, delicious Vegan, gay bars, Le Pain Quotidien, an organic tea place, a very "L.A., hip lunch place", and who knows what else... but I couldn't have done it without them.

13. Be the best I can be - at work, at home, with people. - I always try my best at work, but as I'm currently getting a little bored I believe I could do more. I'm just scared. I love analysis but I'm not sure how much authority I have sometimes to make decisions or if I'm looking at the right tools. At home, I believe I do well, but again, could always use improvement. With people, I need to stop being so nice dang it. Haha. Just kidding.

Well, those are it! I will ponder these and come up with a brand new 2010 resolution in a few days. I have a few in mind, but I need to make them more specific I believe.

What's everyone doing for New Year's? I personally have no idea what I'm doing yet... I'm stuck in Salt Lake, which no offense, might not be as lively as LA County... but I'll be with the ones I love so that's excitement enough for me. Have a safe, happy and prosperous New Year!

C'est bientot Noel...

Wow! What a fun week and this weekend sure has gone by fast. Let's see, a quick recap:

Work - the same, although I found out that if we were to lose our jobs, they would've called us by now. So I'm pretty set (Phew). I'm only 90% sure, because we may acquire another property and all... anyway, I'll keep you posted. But I've decided that I'll stay here for another 6 to 12 months if it all works out. Hopefully we can find out before I go on my awesome 2 week vacation to Salt Lake for Christmas!

So - Thanksgiving was a lot of fun, there were about 22 people, lots of different foods, my frozen pumpkin mousse pie tasted good but the consistency wasn't great. I also made oven roasted winter squash with garlic and parsley, and a delicious green mix salad with juicy grape tomatoes, and another salad of field greens, robust feta and sweet cranberries. Are you drooling yet? Good.

The day after Thanksgiving, I went to Bloom Cafe for lunch with some friends, and for dinner Saturday night, "Osteria Latini", in the Brentwood area of West L.A. So good! It was for a friend's birthday dinner. Total came to $75 per person (ouch!) but so worth it. After that, per the birthday girl's request, she wanted to go to a gay bar and club, for fun... so I went too. That's right, birthday girl, her husband, myself and a gay guy friend went to West Hollywood. Nice thing is, I don't get hit on or bothered at all (except for this one chick for a brief second), and, um... different atmosphere than I'm used to. I hadn't been to a club since I was what, 17, 18? So here's to me going out and having some fun and enjoying LA. I'm not going to do this forever or on a regular basis... but it was fun, different experience.

Wednesday this week, I went on a girl's night out to a special screening of "Up in the Air" with George Clooney. It was ok. Kind of a weak story, although a good point at the very end. Oh, and there's a fictional Hollywood character that is more obsessed about frequent flyer miles than I am. After that we went to "Kabuki" in Hollywood. Very good I must say! Oh, and I love miso soup. and I've yet to try tempura but it looks so good, I'll try it next time... what's great is my friends know what they're doing when they order, so I just sit back, watch, and enjoy the food that is presented to me that we share.

This weekend was filled... with a whole lot of nothing. I believe I watched about 5 hours of TV total on Saturday, did some Christmas shopping, and that's seriously about it. Today, I went to get some blood work done this morning (and holy crap, I'm healthier than I thought) then to the beach to try and play volleyball, but after 5 minutes my knee was killing me, so I stopped and watch my buddies play some 2 on 2 games. It was so cold - 56 degrees or so. Brrr. Yeah, I know, all you Salt Lake people think I'm weak. I've grown accustomed to this warm weather, dang it! :) Then, Lillian, her man and I went to In n' out Burger (in honor of Salt Lake just opening one), and went to Costco where I bought - a baked brie (mmmmmm.....) babybel (nothing like gouda in red wax), diced tomatoes, 5 lbs of carrots (for juicing), 18 eggs (can I finish them all by the 21st?), and I was so tempted to buy this saucisson I saw... that, the real French/Italian kind... but they have some in Salt Lake and I'll save the holidays for the indulging part. Oh, and some blueberries. All pretty much healthy stuff. 

This week: it's the first week of the period, so yay! Easy stuff at work. Tuesday night I'm going to see a screening of "the Lovely Bones" and Thursday night I'll see a screening of "Invictus." Both in Hollywood. Some fun nights out again. I think I'll skip on the eating out Tuesday night, because I've got some miracle soup waiting for me at home. Plus, It is a weekday... and I do work at 7:30am every morning...

Today I'm grateful that I have my health. My knee may be screwed up still, and I'm waiting for the doctor to contact me so that I can come in and be evaluated, but otherwise I'm in really good health, I feel like on my own I'm taking decent care of myself my keeping active, working out, and despite the occasional chocolate I'm eating pretty well too (I know, I went to in-n-out, but for your info, I had only been there once, it was 4 years ago, and I literally haven't had a cheeseburger in... probably 8 months.)

Good night everybody! Have a fantastic week. 

Joyeux Anniversaire Megan

First of all, a very happy birthday to Megan, one of my best friends from Salt Lake. She's a great gal with many artistic talents that I admire and love! Hope you had a fun day today :)

So this weekend was absolutely gorgeous. I mean, gorgeous. I have never, EVER spent a November in the kind of weather where I can wear shorts (and I NEVER wear shorts unless it's uber hot and/or I'm by a beach). Saturday was spent relaxing, and I bought a vacuum, a crepe pan, and groceries. The rest was filled with nada. But Sunday.... was THE most beautiful November day. Blue skies, not a cloud in the skies, air clear enough that I could see the tip of Malibu... and about 73 degree weather. I played a few fantastic games of beach volleyball, and we all met up at my place after for crepes. But really, it wasn't a crepe party... it was a few crepes made from scratch by moi (and everyone claimed that they loved them, yay!) and they all brought some food of their own, so it was more of a potluck. I somehow was able to fit about 18 people in my 300 Sq ft living room. My friends brought over some folding chairs, I had my couch, my dining room chairs, a yoga ball, a storage ottoman... and we were just fine. We even played charades at the end of the night... not sure what inspired us but I don't think we've ever laughed so hard. I heart my California buddies.

Another exciting thing, is that for Thanksgiving, we're all gonna hang out again. we're calling it the "California Orphans Thanksgiving" - as most of us don't really have family here. Can't wait! I also can't wait till Christmas when I come home!!! I feel very very happy.

Today I'm grateful that I didn't go into my usual melancholy stage when Babe left back home, and that I'm able to find my own happiness even though I'm far from the ones I love. I guess this is what independence is all about (t'was about time!). Still, it's hard being lonely. It build character I guess. Thanks everyone for supporting me - as I've now been in California for almost a year. A year, can you believe it? I still can't. I still imagine - if 10 months ago I could travel to now, and see that I've got a salaried job, live in Southern California, get to play beach vball and live 3 blocks from the beach... I would die of shock. I have to say, I'm kinda proud of myself. And it feels good. It's tough, darn it, I'm sacrificing a lot... but it feels good.

Have a great night, until next time...

La Chance

Well, LA Fitness is darn lucky.

Despite the fact that the oblique muscles ab machine was broken yesterday, all machines are slightly older and and I'm just not feeling that gym yet, tonight's kickboxing class was actually pretty decent. 

It felt so good. Half the moves were the same as Gold's gym on Van Winkle, and the other half were new but with the same basic moves. It's been almost a year since I've gone and I'm pretty proud of myself, even though I'm absolutely sore everywhere, I was able to stay the whole time - didn't mess up too much (I couldn't, I was in the front row. I always go in the front row because I'm motivated to do better there).

I'd love to get into kickboxing again. And I have to say, if it weren't for that class I'd probably cancel my membership. I think I'll try it out for a few months though (luckily I'm on a month-to-month membership). That way I can get back into weight training too. My workout videos at home can only do so much.

I know, I know... some of you might say "but you've got a beach right there where you can walk, run and breathe beach air and you play beach Vball 1-3 times a week." Very true, my friend. But here's the thing, Beach Vball is fun but unless I'm playing 2 on 2, it's really not working my endurance much. Running on the beach? I tried it and... somewhat gave up. Running's not my thing. Walking - sure, I like to walk, but again, no muscle toning or real endurance building.

I want to be able to kick some butt... oh, I dream of the day that I will be able to beat Babe in an arm wrestle. 

It must be late, I'm hallucinating. Babe's stronger than he looks. 

Good night all!

Dark & Bitter

Well, today was such a fun day - was able to finalize my stay in New York City in September (can't wait!) and was able to get an employee rate in Idaho Falls by calling them directly for my mom and some friends in October.

Otherwise, short day at work, got almost everything done, and at 3PM our GM was hosting a BBQ with all the managers. He's got a beautiful Mediterranean style home in Manhattan Beach and we ate yummy bratwurst boiled in beer and onions before they hit the grill. Really good and hit the spot. Especially considering I just had a donut for lunch (bad, I know).

Now - a few weeks ago, we were all given a sheet for each manager and to write what we thought about one another. Funny, sentimental, etc... and it was hilarious. There were about 20 of us or so. Some of them included:

"Hot mama"

"His hair never moves"

"Looks like Tom Cruise's older brother"

"could be a stunt double for Sergio" (another manager that was there and I swear they look like twins)

"I like my women like I like my coffee: Dark and bitter"

It was a lot of fun. Everything that was said was nicely printed and framed. Here's what people think about me in the office:

*She's a breath of fresh air

*Very positive attitude

*She's an adventurer

*Independent, kind, smart

*She fits right in!

*She brings a little European culture to the office

*I need my sunglasses... that is one beautiful engagement ring

*Loves to play Beach Volleyball

*Willing to learn more and more

*I've heard her crepes rival Chef Dean's

(Chef Dean is the executive chef at the hotel, the one who likes his women like his coffee)

So that's about it!

Plans for this weekend: Saturday night small Get-together and BBQ with friends, maybe go to Manhattan beach or Hermosa Beach for the surf festival during the day, and usual beach V-ball on Sunday.

Coming up: Babe should be here next week, the week after my best friend from elementary in France is coming to visit with her boyfriend (haven't seen her in a couple of years), in September I'll be in Utah for a few days then taking off for NYC to discover this fabulous city.

Today I'm grateful for the weekend and am extremely excited to see friendly faces everyday.

Here are some pics from today's work BBQ.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Le Festival

I actually ended up spending about 3 hours at the festival yesterday walking around. Great people watching. If I had kids, they would've had a blast. If I had friends to hang out with, we would've had a blast. If I had my sweetie with me, it would've been even better. But going by myself was tolerable. There was food, music, arts and crafts, and a henna tattoo stand. I'm sooooo tempted to get one on my lower back. But one day, I was told it means Bull's Eye. I still want to because it looks darn cute. Any objections? It only lasts 2 weeks! :)

Here are some pictures. Enjoy.

Prizes...

Giant waterslides...

Polynesian dancing

Pet adoptions

Music & a beer garden

Tons of booths with arts & crafts, jewelry, inventions...

Dr Mookie Love, this was just for you...

Ferris wheel!

Overall, a pretty good day! Got a massage at 6PM, made a delicious homemade dinner of curry jumbo shrimp with rice and lentils, and watched "Confessions of a Shopaholic," which was so-so. At least the actor was easy on the eyes. I then played Counter-Strike Source for about an hour and went to bed!

Today I'm grateful that I just got invited to a BBQ after Beach v-ball today. I heart company! Today, for my well being & exercise, I'll play volleyball for probably 4 hours. Works the legs & the arms. Have a great Sunday!

Yes, White Bread Contains Wheat Too

So I just wanted to say hello on this fabulous Saturday morning.

Last night I was going for a run, but ended up playing volleyball (very poorly I might add) for about 90 minutes. Went to bed at 11pm, woke up at 6:55... and felt refreshed, although I was awakened by my room shaking. I think there's a homeless person living above me who periodically jumps up and down for fun. Great.

So far today I've talked to my sweetie on the phone, watched some funny videos from collegehumor.com, watched half of "National Lampoon's European Vacation," made a delicious zucchini, bacon and avocado omelet (protein overload) and seen what my friends are up to on Facebook.

So today, my to-do list:

-Go to an AT&T store and see about getting my own plan (still on a family plan at home), see if I can get a great deal on a snazzy new phone while I'm at it because mine is over 2 years old

-Walk to Von's for some groceries (organic summer berries on sale! Yum!!)

-75 degrees today and the marine layer's gone, I'm going to get some sun and show off my new bikini

-Clean the apartment a bit

-The rest is free time. There's a festival at the Hollywood Riviera today and tomorrow. It won't be as fun alone, but I might check it out.

Today I'm grateful that I get a day off. Today, for my well-being I shall walk and breathe beach air. Here's to a great weekend :)

Apres aujourd'hui...

That's it, after today, it shall start.

What shall start you ask? First of all, can you believe that this costs $13???

Prosciutto stuffed mushrooms appetizer at Buca. And they weren't that great. Good thing I had a $10 coupon I had to use so they only cost 3 bucks.

But that's it. I've decided... for realz this time... that I'm going to be committed. Really. I'm sick and tired of having dark circles under my eyes again. I'm sick of having lost my two-pack and toned arms. I'm sick of it. I want to be healthy and look the best I can. I'm almost 25 years old. And that picture above, I'm already not proud of. Tonight, it ends. Tonight, I shall write my declaration of Lilie's well-being.

I. No more dipping into the bag of chocolate chips when I have a sweet craving. If I crave something sweet, I shall reach for a piece of fruit.

II. I will not only eat yummy veggies and protein from legumes, but I will eat smaller portions. I'm not going vegetarian, but I'll eat lots of lentils, black beans and chickpeas for awesome protein & fiber.

III. Back to the no wheat, no dairy. This is what's giving me dark circles under my eyes. Only indulge when I have to or when there are special occasions. In moderation, still.

IV. Losing weight is not my goal. Losing inches, toning up and increasing my endurance are.

V. I shall do some type of exercise everyday, and something for my mental well-being everyday as well.

I think that's good for now. I am now also officially adding one more thing to each blog post. Say something good I did for my well-being today. As always, I encourage you to do the same, but hey, I'm not forcing ya :)

So today... I'm grateful that I received an email from a very nice former landlord in Salt Lake, we were catching up and he told me how he always considered me like the daughter he never had. He's a great guy. I'm so happy that he remarried and I wish him the best. His email brought a small tear of joy and made me really happy. I'm also grateful that I consider my boss like part of the family. I went over to her house and gave her a big hug as she's going to the East Coast for a week. I heart my job and my co-workers.

Something funny today? Oh yeah, the office flooded... again. But that's old news, because it flooded Sunday. Good thing I went in to work to notice it in time. But that means I got to work from home yesterday and today. Tomorrow I should be able to go in.

For my exercise/well-being today: I rollerbladed for about 30 minutes, walked for about 35, took deep breaths of beach air, and declared my declaration of well-being. Here's to many more good things I will do for me [don't worry, I'm not selfish, I'll still do good things for others :)].

Have a great night! What did you do for your well-being today?

Jesus Préfère Sprouts a Trader Joe's

Well, hi!

Back in LA County. What a fun week I spent in Salt Lake! Saw tons of people and had good times. I'm going to bed soon, so I'll go into details another time. 

It's so nice and sunny here... and SLC is cursed with rain, I hear. Who wants to come here on vacation? LoL. Well, it's not that warm... maybe 68 degrees by the time I get off work. But so, very, very nice. I'll tell you though, Tuesday after work I took a walk on the beach... and just realized that much more how much I like it here. I REALLY like it here. I love my apartment, my location, my job, my co-workers... I better stop before I jinx myself :p but seriously, I'm grateful for that.

At work, my co-workers like my new highlights in my hair. That's good, because I love them too and keeping them :). However, I looked really sick and pale this morning (maybe because I only ate 800 calories the day before), and I think the blond washed me out. Hmm. Gotta get that tan going again. And maybe eat a few more calories too.

What are you grateful for today? I'm also grateful that I get to show my mom this cool license plate I saw on my way to work this morning: 

Have a great night!

Yum, Chorizo & cheese crustless quiche from Trader Joe's... 30 minutes to bake?!?! Ok, I hear the blog calling my name anyway... 

So, what a fun weekend! Saturday went to Ikea, got a killer deal on a bookshelf that I'm using as a TV stand as you can see:

I just finished decorating it tonight. It's not great, but it'll do for now. I need to get the DVD player out of there (and my old PC too).

Seriously, will you stop??? I think my neighbors are gettin' it on next door again and it sounds like the beginning of an earthquake. And you know how paranoid I've been the past few days.

Back to the weekend... Sunday was Beach V-ball all day, 10am to almost 4pm... at 10 am the water was so serene, and a couple of dolphins were really close to the shore... it was pretty cool. It never gets old even after the 20th time you've seen it. When I got home I baked a scrumptious frozen apple pie and claimed it as my own recipe, and then brought it to a really fun BBQ. Here are some pictures for your enjoyment:

Clockwise, from top: Lillian, me, Mayou, Tak's evil spirit, Christine, and a guy taking up 1/4 of the picture. May I clarify that I am not standing next to a naked chick and Lillian is indeed wearing a strapless dress, $teve...

Leo and the girls...

We were way too happy that we won all those games today...

So, that's about it! I worked today from 8 to about 2, got home, did some cleaning, brother's coming Wednesday night, I get Friday off, Saturday we drive up to Salt Lake... and that is where the real adventure will begin :)

Today I'm grateful that I was able to re-arrange furniture all by myself. What are you grateful for this beautiful Memorial day? Have a great night!!

Et un Autre...

Yes, we had another earthquake today. I thought it was the huge cooler coming on! No biggie, just a 4.2 magnitude and it lasted about 3-5 seconds and there was light shaking. It originated only about 5 miles east of work though...

Sigh... why did I come to Cali again? Oh yeah, the beach, a great job opportunity, sunny weather. Ok, good. Just had to remind myself for a second :)

Today I'm grateful I get to watch the American Idol Finale! And that lunch at work was actually decent, it was chicken with a tomatillo sauce. Yum!

Well, not much else to say. I'm getting really excited for Memorial Day weekend and my week long vacation in Salt Lake... The only thing planned for this weekend is Beach V-ball all day, starting at 10AM on Sunday, followed by a BBQ with my buddies. Will be oh-so-fun! And I'm excited to see family and friends in... less than 2 weeks now!

Till next time, Ciao.

Best Thing Today?

I just jogged nonstop for 10 minutes and 30 seconds. 

It's a record so far. Best part? Way more than I could do in Junior High or High School. 

Remember running the mile? I'd have to stop less than 1/4 of the way through. What does this all mean? At 24, I am in better shape than I was as a teen. All thanks to a beautiful beach a few minutes away who is motivating me. I can watch the waves and don't even need an iPod to keep me going.

I don't know how long I'm going to live by the beach. My lease is up next month. I know I have to sign another 1 year lease or go month-to-month, which means they'll probably rack up the rent anytime they want. I don't think I want to sign a one year lease because I don't know where I'll be in less than a year. I may be in Newport Beach, Murray, Half Moon Bay, Atlanta, Hong Kong... who knows (well, maybe not the last few), so I'm taking advantage of this beach to get in shape and a beautiful summer glow. I'm savoring every minute of it.

Here's to you, hoping you are savoring every piece of your life.

Paresseuse

Hi everyone!

Well, it's the happiest morning of my week - the day I get to sleep in till 7:30 or so. Yes, that is sleeping in for me. I love it! 

The weather's not great this morning though. But guess what - it's clearing up! So instead of being lazy this morning, here's my to-do list before go enjoy the near future sunshine:

-Laundry

-Bills & Budget

-Vacuum (there's sand everywhere, it gets stuck in my shorts when I play Beach V-ball)

I already ate breakfast, looked at my inventories and cleaned my kitchen, and it's only 10 AM. Not bad. If I finish everything else by 1300 hours, I might go tan or something if it looks better out there... or maybe buy food, the fridge is empty. Hmmmm... buy food, or get skin cancer.... I have to decide which one is more appealing. I'll get back to you on that.

Other than that, nothing too exciting... volleyball's scheduled to start at 2:30 tomorrow, so I'm excited for that... tomorrow is Mother's Day and in case I don't post tomorrow, I'd like to wish a very happy day to all you wonderful moms out there! It's also my StepMom's birthday tomorrow, so I'd like to wish her a happy birthday! (Mother's Day in France is in June I found out). As to my wonderful mom, she is off to a fun 9 day trip on the East Coast... I hope you have a blast! I'm so glad to have her as my mom, because she rocks and I miss her so much! Sorry I couldn't see you this year... we'll have a mother-daughter day next month when I come over, I promise. I also would like to wish a happy Mother's day to my future mom-in law, who is one of the most caring individuals I know and I know she sees me as one of her daughters... Happy Mom's Day!

Also I'd like to give a shout out to... me, because I worked out 45-60 minutes everyday this week, and lost 2 pounds in doing so! I can do this! Woo-hoo!

Today I'm grateful that it's the weekend, which means free minutes on my phone... lol. Seriously, this is killing me. I get about 4 hours a month, and last night I was having the best conversation with my sweetie, but being the cheapo that I am, after 40 minutes, I said "holy cow honey, it's been 40 minutes... do you mind if I call you back after 9?" Sigh. Long distance sucks. I miss you hun... and hope that I can see you before next month.

Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend.

Une chenille dans mon poivron?

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I hope you all had a great day. It's been a pretty good week! It's the slow(er) week at work, so I was able to work on projects I've been putting off for a little while... so there's a good feeling.

I had a really fun weekend. Too short, though.

It all started on Saturday when I went to NY&Co to buy a really cute pair of shorts and a great pair of pants, for $30 total. I heart good deals! But I know you don't care. So I'll move on.

Saturday night I drove to Orange County to see my cousins André, Pegah, Mesia, Matt & Seneca, my uncles and aunts, and we had a wonderful dinner at André and Pegah's, who have one of the most beautifully decorated homes I've ever seen. It was wonderful to see everyone again and meet Matt's side of the family. We were all in town for Seneca's baby blessing, and she truly is a blessing! I am so happy for you Matt & Mesia for having found such a beautiful little girl and that all the adoption papers went through.

I ended up sleeping over (not planned, I had no clothes for church the next day, and made a huge taboulleh for the potluck Sunday that sat in my fridge), but I did anyway because I knew Pegah would have a sassy outfit she would let me wear the next day :)

After Seneca's blessing and the potluck, we went back to the house, chatted a bit, and they packed a picnic for the beach as I drove home and ended up playing beach volleyball with my new shorts. It was fun! I also went out to dinner with them, there were 8 of us. The guy sitting across from me, a graphic designer (so I assumed would be into video games) shook my hand... because he was impressed that I would still pay Counter-Strike Source. We talked for 20 minutes straight on how gungame deathmatch is awesome, and I tried out my very limited WoW lingo. It was a very geeky conversation. Very fun, though.

That's about it! Not many pictures from the weekend except this one of Pegah and I, but I'm sure Matt & Mesia will post some on their blog.

Oh, and if you wondered what the caterpillar in the bell pepper means... I made a ratatouille last night, and as I cut my Trader Joe's green bell pepper in half, a green worm with legs was inhabiting it. I called Mom. "Mom, do I throw the other bell pepper that was touching it away?" No, you'll be fine." It was a good ratatouille though... and had to show pictures to my co-workers to find out it was a caterpillar. A green worm with legs? Close enough.

Today I'm grateful to have finished a bigger project at work... and still have time to finally take my car for an oil change. I'm also proud that I worked out when I got home after that :)

Good night!

C'est dur, la vie

Hi everyone!

Yes, I'm back to my French blog titles... because this blog needs a little "oomph."

How is everyone? I hope you all had a fabulous week, weekend, easter... I sure did.

It all started last week when my sweetie and his family arrived last Friday night, we spent Saturday at the Long Beach Aquarium, and the afternoon and evening in LA at the Getty Center (awesome place) and Pink's Hot Dogs. How long did we wait in line for a 12in Japapeno dog with chili, guac, onions and chopped tomatoes? One hour and 20 minutes. The funny part is that as we were almost there, we realized that they don't take credit cards or checks - and had to find an ATM pronto. Good times...

Sunday consisted of an Easter egg hunt in my apartment which lasted about 5 minutes (I still can't believe I somehow was able to sleep 5 people in that 600 sq ft box), making my famous delicious crepes, chauffeuring to two churches, decorating Easter eggs with food dye (never done that before), going to the beach, making spaghetti and meat sauce for lunch, and for the first time, for dinner I made stuffed pepper with the leftover meat sauce and rice. Sooooo good!

My sweetie's been here all week with me, and it's been awesome. So many things this week.

First of all, it's no secret that it's tough times... and we had a shocker Friday last week. They had to let go one of our managers that sits behind me. It's a shock, not just because it's tough times, but because if we had to let one person go... we all knew it all had to be me. Why? Seniority. Although I've been with the company 6.5 years now, the other two managers have been there 12 (the one who got laid off) and 14. If I had gone, they would have combined the duties of the two manager positions left.

Although I am very grateful that I kept my job, I felt horrible for my colleague. She is one of the sweetest people you've ever met. She has an incredibly amazing resume however, has a good head on her shoulders and has been to work everyday after the news to look for jobs and make sure that all of her duties are being taken care of. I wish her the best, but know that she will find something great, because she's got a great attitude toward life and a great work ethic.

Now, I'm a big believer of "everything happens for a reason," and this was a big wake-up call for me as well. I've now been doing Hotel Revenue Management for the past 4.5 months, and I have to say that although it's challenging, I absolutely love it - and do believe that it's the career path for me. The fact that I didn't get laid off - I take it that I was meant to do this. At least for now. In fact, I am so excited to learn more everyday and feel so much more comfortable with my duties than when I first started (that should be a given).

But with that said, my heart goes out to those who have been laid off... but I also know that you'll make the right decision. I just don't want you to settle though. I know it's a tough economy, but please take a little time to find something that you'll still enjoy, if your budget permits. It's tough times. But we adapt. We move on. We learn and grow strong.

Did I just create a haiku?

Well, it's been a busy week though, because not only was it the busiest week, but with my colleague gone, the other managers took her duties with an already hectic week - and my other colleague was gone all week on vacation, so I did the job of two people. It was stressful, a little overwhelming at times, but overall, I was able to do it. I believe well, too. I'm relieved she's coming back tomorrow though.

Now, this weekend: Saturday my sweetie and I had lunch at "Creme de la Crepe," one of my favorite French places. They actually had "Menthe a l'eau" and "sirop de grenadine!" You know that it's been 10 years since I had that? Sweetie tried the Menthe a l'eau but didn't like it, so I sipped it... and enjoyed every minute of it. I love that place. If I ever want a little bit of French food, flair, and/or memories, I know where to go :)
We then went to Manhattan Beach, the beach was p-a-c-k-e-d!!! It was a beautiful 73 degrees, we picked up cool rocks that I'll use as decoration. We also indulged in Thin Mint ice cream for me and sundae for him. It's funny though, you see California TV shows with good looking hot people everywhere that are super rich and all, and you'll think "it's just tv." Well, Cali's... kinda like that when you really expericence it! And all these good looking people in swimsuits makes me want to work out again. Oh, I can't wait for bikini weather!! I know cancer's not sexy, but I can't wait to lay out on that beach on weekends, or even after work, and get a nice golden tan. Volleyball starts at 3PM today by the way, let's see if I can talk Sweetie into going and start on my tan.

This week I'm grateful that I was able to do my work and my colleague's successfully, and come home to a man who is extremely happy to see me and cleaned the apartment AND... oh my gosh, I forgot! I bought a brand new PC. By that I mean, I bought $700 worth of PC parts and sweetie built me a sweet $1400 system. It was about time... it works awesome. I can now play Counter-Strike Source! LoL. Boom, headshot!

Have a fantastic week.

And Then There Was Snow...

It's Monday, and I am home from work... why is that you ask? Me, yes, moi, decided to take a spontaneous weekend getaway in Salt Lake. I left Thursday after work, drove to the Long Beach airport and got there around 10:30 PM, then spent a wonderful weekend with friends and family - although I missed a few people. Mad Scientist - I apologize, I said I would stop by work but I was so congested and tired.... rrrr it would have been fun to see you and other co-workers!

So I spent time with my mom, Roxy (our dog) - who was super happy to see me Thursday night by the way, my brother, step brother & step sister in law, stepdad before he went to Colorado for his ski trip, had brunch with my girlfriends, and spent time with my man and his family. My man had the flu - and I unfortunately, probably caught it. I'm congested right now and have a massive headache, so I came back home this morning vs. tonight so that I could rest all day and be prepared for tomorrow's craziness at work.

It was a fun weekend! Babe, his brother and I went to see "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage. It was pretty good. The end makes you question a ton of stuff... and it was creative... and there was definitely a twist in there... anyway, I won't give up the ending or anything else. You should see it if you're into disaster movies, like me.

We were also going to see "Watchmen" and "Slumdog Millionaire." Watchmen I heard was a little disapointing... but I've seen mixed reviews. Slumdog I hear was awesome but I'm ok waiting a little longer to see it or waiting for it on DVD. Any opinions/ comments/ disagreements with my statement?

So today I got home around 11 AM, checked work emails because I'm a work-aholic, called Lady Boss M to tell her I was sick but got home safe and that I should be in tomorrow, and she offered to go to the grocery store and pick me up any groceries I need... which I thought was really sweet and I said that I'd go there later. If I stay inside all day I'd feel miserable so I had to get out.

I then took about a 3 hour nap and woke up once, then decided to walk over to the beach to get some ocean breeze for my nose, went to Trader Joe's for some groceries, Albertson's for some Zicam and Redbox for a free DVD. I got "Rachel Getting Married," since I heard it was good. So tonight consists of a delicious broiled salmon with an olive oil glaze and a appetizing salad of organic mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado and sweet basil, a DVD and a warm bath. I'm working on my food verbiage so that I can open up a restaurant in my alternate life. How am I doing?

Today I'm grateful to have spent a weekend with the ones I love, and even the snow didn't bother me. Ok, that's a lie, I dislike snow, but I had to see it at least once this year, right? I was glad to be home or a bit though. It felt weird. I felt like I was in my mid-thirties coming back to a home with memories and old school stuff stuffed in boxes in my room. I've only been gone for 4 months!

Well, I wish everyone a pleasant week, and hope that I get better before $teve comes to visit this weekend so that we can go to Disneyland or Knott's Berry farm or something. Yay for company again!

Some Sunday Randomness

Here's what happened this week/ weekend:

*Discovered tofu cream cheese and actually am addicted now

*Decided to learn how to roast garlic, and plan to make homemade roasted garlic hummus later

*Have a beautiful fridge full of colorful veggies, tantalizing meats and creamy yogurt

*Had a smashin' omelette this morning with andouille sausage, garlic, onions, sliced mushrooms and avocado

Ok, enough about food... although, did I mention I love food?

Speaking of food, I went to my volleyball buddies' BBQ last night, and it was pretty fun! We had really tender BBQd steak, juicy chicken, cheeseburger (I had 1/4 of a cheeseburger), some kind of transparent rice noodle dish (very eclectic bunch of people), and some good conversation. I didn't drink (no surprises), and the cheeseburger is the only thing I went off the diet from. Not too bad. The weather was fairly nice, but there was a cool breeze and got cold quickly. I still managed to spend time there until about 9pm, as they lit a bonfire to keep us warm... they were out of wood so started breaking old chairs... so, whatever. I smelled like campfire so went home, took a quick shower and watched "The Holiday" - I really like Jack Black in it as a sweet guy, and Kate Winslet's adventure in LA.

So today, might not play volleyball because it's really windy and cold... although it was supposed to rain all day but the wind chased the clouds away. It's like Mistral! Maybe I'll just go for a nice walk after lunch on the beach in a sweater and watch the angry ocean.

Other plans coming up not involving food: clean my apartment today, hang a fun print in my bedroom that I found at Michael's, vaccuum, and just chill. I'm thinking of getting a membership to Netflix because a) you know my TV's snowy b) Convenient c) I get 2,500 bonus Skymiles for it. To be honest, "c" was the best reason for me. Can't wait to go to France for free! Although it may take a few years... if only I could pay my rent with my Skymiles Amex...

Today I'm grateful that although my man's got the flu, he's feeling better today. I hope to see him in 10 days or so. I'm also grateful that for the past week and a half, I notice in the shower that I'm not losing as much hair as I used to. Maybe my thyroid is back to normal? I've got a doctor's appointment on April 3rd and we shall see.

I hope you all have/had a great weekend. A fun week, too! Au revoir.

Babord ou Tribord?

The weekend is coming to an end... but it's been a good one!

The Queen Mary, in Long Beach, was doing a free admission special for SoCal residents, today being the last day. I thought I'd check it out since it normally costs $20+ and it's only about 15 miles from my place. It was... well, a giant boat. Here, see for yourself:


And I'm glad I went, because I wasn't too into it... it smelled like wet wood the whole time and felt like... being on a big boat. Why am I glad I went? Because if I had actually spent money on this I would be a little dissapointed. Now I don't have to go back or tell family and friends that it's a "must see." I stood in line for 20 minutes, and when I got out there was a line, I kid you not, probably .75 miles long. Again, aren't we in a recession? LoL.

The parking was the fun part. Being the cheapo that I am, I wanted the best bang for my buck and knew there was a free bus from downtown, and I found a $3 spot for 2 hours. Allrighty!

Here are a few pictures from today:

View from the boat, Downtown Long Beach

Russian Submarine (that one was $10... too claustrophobic to go...)

Oh yeah, it's a hotel too... I'd rather go on a cruise!

Captain's stateroom...

And then what was probably the highlight of my day: I saw an Irish store with lots of imported foods from Ireland and England. I grabbed a "Lion" bar. Haven't had those in over 10 years:

That's about it for today! Went to the beach to find my volleyball buddies, but they weren't there. I texted Leo and he said most people were out of town and we'd do it next week. I just got an email too for a BBQ this Saturday with the team. Sounds awesome!

Otherwise I walked on the beach for about an hour, and the rest has been fairly lazy. Oh, except that I did laundry.

Today I'm grateful that even though I got lost (stupid google maps directions) getting back home, I still found my way - just because I found Pacific Coast Highway. Once I'm on PCH, I know exactly where to go! See mom? I'm doing fine without a GPS or iPhone...

I wish everyone a great week!

Nouveau PC S'il Vous Plait

That's it, I've had it, and it's about time... My PC is so fracking slow, and the wireless mouse GD@#$%^%*FGBDF#@ that it's driving me *&^$($%@@%G!!

So, now, on a positive note...

It's Tuesday night, and I feel... pretty good. How about you? I got a lot done at work today, left at a decent time (4:40pm), and with daylight savings... it's still not completely dark at this hour and I'm just loving it. I got home and felt like running (what?!!?) so strolled down to the beach and ran in the sand for 4.5 minutes, after not running at all for quite a few weeks... so that's the accomplishment for the day. I then ran another 3 minutes or so on the way back.

Tonight's dinner consisted of yummy Costco Chicken Apple sausages and a salad with cherry tomatoes and my homemade vinaigrette. I think I'll have some yogurt and fresh strawberries for dessert. Yum!

You know what's awesome? I had a terrible headache all morning (slept funny), but the day still ended just great. I find myself smiling in the car even during rush hour Cali traffic. I don't know about you, but that's quite a task.

So tonight I'll probably watch AI or Family Guy, haven't decided yet (probably go back and forth during the commercials).

Things I'm grateful for today: Organic Cherry Tomatoes on sale for $.99/pt, and sweet golden ripe pineapple $1.25 each. I told you it doesn't take much to get me excited/grateful [especially if food's involved :)].

What made me laugh today? Found a tiny snail beside my lavender plant. How on Earth did you get in here?

Good night & Happy Tuesday.